


Into the void

by theflyinganonymouse



Category: VIXX
Genre: Blood, Detective AU, M/M, Minor Character Death, Murder, Murder Mystery AU, Slow Burn, Space AU, Violence, because why not, mystery au, obvs, with a bit of supernatural thrown in
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 23:25:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15806670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theflyinganonymouse/pseuds/theflyinganonymouse
Summary: Wonshik’s comm beeps at 3.07am.He sits up in bed and presses the cold metal into his ear.“Kim Wonshik.” He says, his voice still thick with sleep.“Meet me in sector 17, delta quadrant.” It’s Hongbin. “We have a case.”





	Into the void

**Author's Note:**

> For the mystery/detectives square in Fantastia fic bingo.
> 
> I hope you guys like this!

Wonshik’s comm beeps at 3.07am.

He sits up in bed and presses the cold metal into his ear.

“Kim Wonshik.” He says, his voice still thick with sleep.

“Meet me in sector 17, delta quadrant.” It’s Hongbin. “We have a case.”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes.” Wonshik murmurs before ending the call.

He gets out of bed and goes straight into the refresher. He washes his face and wets his hair before combing it into something presentable. Once he’s done he dresses in his uniform, holsters his blaster and leaves his quarters.

The shuttle to sector 17 is busy despite the early hour but Wonshik is given a wide berth, his uniform eyed with equal amounts of respect and suspicion. He doesn’t mind, it’s been six years since he graduated from the academy and he’s used to it now.

The delta quadrant is one of the nicer areas in sector 17 and so somewhere Wonshik doesn’t usually visit for work. He has, however, been to a number of the restaurants and bars that line the south side of the central square – an area a couple of acres in size, lush with vegetation from a hundred different planets and popular with joggers and those seeking a more ‘natural’ way to spend their leisure days – and it’s there where he meets Hongbin.

“What do we have?” He asks.

“Ashwari female, multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.” Hongbin tells him, his usually pleasant face pulled into a grim frown. “I’m waiting for Jaehwan to arrive before making a formal identification.”

They’re in one of the often-overlooked alleys that run between the bars and restaurants. The one they’re stood in is between a Qe’tek bar and a restaurant currently in the process of being refurbished and it is a mess of broken bottles and rotting food. It isn’t where Wonshik would want to spend his last moments.

“Okay, good.” Wonshik nods. “Who found her?”

They spend the time waiting for the coroner interviewing the individual who had found the body, a queasy looking Ilynian who had worked the closing shift at the bar next to the alley, but she isn’t able to tell them much.

“I was taking out the trash.” She says and her rumbling voice shakes. “And there she was, already cold- there wasn’t anything I could do.”

Jaehwan arrives just as light begins to filter through into the alley, signalling the start of the day cycle, and his smile is as bright as always. Wonshik is glad to see it now but Jaehwan’s smiles had made him uneasy at first. He hadn’t understood how anyone could be so cheerful, especially not someone who dealt with dead bodies all day.

“It’s a good job you are my favourites.” Jaehwan singsongs instead of saying ‘good morning.’ “I might not have answered my comm if any of the other teams had called me at half three in the morning telling me I had a dead body to deal with.”

“Please,” Wonshik rolls his eyes, “you call everyone your favourites.”

“I do not!” Jaehwan squawks, looking offended.

“I heard you say it to Seokjin and Namjoon last week.” Hongbin teases as he leads Jaehwan and Wonshik further into the alley.

“Well,” Jaehwan splutters, “Seokjin is a special case- anyone nearly as pretty as me automatically makes the list, I have to keep an eye on the competition after all.”

“Does that mean you think we’re pretty?” Wonshik asks, fluttering his eyelashes at Jaehwan.

Jaehwan pulls a face, “you’ve got good personalities.”

Jaehwan becomes serious then as he spots the body and he tuts at the mess she’s been left in before getting onto his knees besides her, being careful to not kneel in any of her blue-black blood, and he pulls on a pair of latex gloves from his bag.

“She was very beautiful.” He says.

The Ashwari are a humanoid race and renowned for their beauty with pale blue skin and large, round in eyes in shades of silvers and golds but Wonshik can see that, even among her own people, she would have been considered stunning.

Hongbin swears.

“What?” Wonshik asks.

“I thought I recognised her.” He says. “She’s a model- she’s on those holos advertising that drink you like.”

“Valia Ordisha.” Jaehwan confirms, his scanner beeping as he runs it over the ID chip in her left palm.

“Ambassador Ordisha’s daughter?” Wonshik asks even though he already knows the answer. “Well, shit.”

Hongbin sighs, “I’ll put in the call.”

Wonshik and Hongbin are homicide specialists in Eden’s general security division – the red shoulder stripes on their stark white uniforms marking them out from their GSD colleagues – but there are cases that they are not authorised to handle. High profile cases such as these require that they hand over to officers from the SSD and Wonshik knows just which team it will go to.

“Fine.” He says with a sigh of his own, frustration welling in his chest. “Get it over with.”

He’s not surprised when the team from the SSD arrive before Jaehwan is finished taking holographs of the body, his preliminary examination already concluded, and Wonshik has to bite back a frown when the golden stripes on their shoulders catch the light.

“Assholes.” He mutters under his breath as they approach and Hongbin smirks.

There is no love lost between the GSD and the SSD.

“Wonshik, Hongbin- it’s good to see you again.” The lead officer says once they’re at the mouth of the alley. The other members of the GSD stationed around the crime scene huff and roll their eyes but he doesn’t pay them any mind. “I wish it could have been under better circumstances.”

“Officer Cha.” Wonshik forces a smile, “still training the kid, I see.”

“Something like that.” Cha responds, his bright expression not slipping.

Wonshik has only worked on a couple of cases that have required Cha and his partner, Jung Taekwoon, to step in and he’s never really enjoyed the experience. The last of these had been a year ago and they had been joined by Han Sanghyuk, a rookie straight out of the academy, for training purposes. Wonshik had half-expected for him to have found his own partner by now but isn’t disappointed to see him stood at Cha’s shoulder, a lazy smile tugging at his lips. Sanghyuk is easier to get along with than his superior officers.

Wonshik and Hongbin talk them through the information they’ve already gathered and Cha and Sanghyuk ask them a couple of questions while the last of their group, Jung, examines the area around the body.

“I’m ready to pack her up.” Jaehwan calls to them once he’s finished.

“Taekwoon?” Cha looks at his partner with a raised eyebrow and Jung, after quickly brushing his fingers over Ordisha’s cold cheek, nods. “That’s fine, Jaehwan. You’ll get in touch once your report is ready?”

“Of course.” Jaehwan nods, his voice short. “This isn’t my first murder case.”

Wonshik hides his laughter behind a cough.

Hongbin accompanies Sanghyuk to retrieve the holovid from the bar’s security cameras now that its owner has arrived while Cha re-interviews the Ilynian who had found the body. Wonshik stays with the body and, much to his distaste, so does Jung.

“Psyching yourself up?” Wonshik inquires.

Jung’s sharp gaze moves to Wonshik’s face, a small frown tugging at his lips, before moving back to the body but he doesn’t otherwise answer. Wonshik’s cheeks flare red and indignation swells in his chest at being so blatantly ignored.

Jaehwan snorts and, without looking up from what he’s doing, asks Wonshik, “have you ever heard him talk?”

It’s a facetious question given they’ve both heard Jung speak before but Jaehwan always likes to play along with the rumours that float around the GSD, especially when they have a couple of VX watching on with interest.

Wonshik rolls his eyes, “just get on with your job.” 

Jaehwan’s team from the coroner’s department arrive then and they work together to move Ordisha’s body into the waiting transport. Wonshik notices that Jung doesn’t take his eyes off the body until it is hidden from view.

He finds it unnerving.

“We’re going to have to be quick and quiet.” Cha tells them when he arrives back at the murder scene, Hongbin and Sanghyuk in tow. The transport along with Jaehwan and his team are now gone but the GSD presence is still heavy and will been until the scene has been thoroughly investigated and cleared. “There’s razzi sniffing around already.”

“What do you want us to do?” Wonshik asks and he expects to be told that he and Hongbin can stand down, that the SSD will be handling the case from there.

Cha frowns, his eyes flashing gold for a split second, “stay- I have the feeling we’re going to need you.”

“Really?” Hongbin looks as surprised as Wonshik feels.

“Taekwoon, make sure you include them on your projection.” Cha orders and Wonshik feels a shiver run up his spine. He’s watched a projection before but he’s never been included on one, never seen what Cha and Sanghyuk see.

“Where can you start from?” Sanghyuk asks.

Jung’s eyes flicker between their normal colour and an electric blue as he leads them towards the mouth of the alley, stopping halfway. The GSD stationed around the area watch with wide eyes and Wonshik knows he’s going to get quizzed on the experience once it’s over but, for now, he’s as curious as they are.

“What happens-.”

He stops because Jung’s eyes suddenly burn blue and Wonshik is blinded by it.

He blinks to clear his vision once, twice, three times and then he _sees_.

Jung is both himself and Valia Ordisha and they struggle and fight as they are dragged further into the alley, towards the murder scene, by a looming figure in a black hooded robe.

“You’re not- what do you think you’re doing?” Jung’s voice is his but Ordisha’s, too, and Wonshik can hear the fear in it. “Let go of me!”

Ordisha – _Jung_ – tumbles to the floor after a hard backhand to the face but there’s no ring of flesh on flesh, just their choked sobs.

“Please.” They beg, scrambling onto their back and away from their killer. “Please, don’t-.”

Then there’s a flash of steel as the robed figure pulls out a knife and Ordisha-Jung scream and kick at their attacker. They land a kick to the killer’s face and blow causes the hood to slip back. Wonshik starts because _he knows that face._ It’s thinner than he remembers, meaner looking, but undeniable.

But there’s no time to say or do anything because in the next moment the killer snarls and lands two brutal hits to their victim’s face, leaving Ordisha-Jung on their back sobbing.

“Please don’t kill me.” They gasp. “I’m with child- please. I’m begging you, please don’t kill me!”

But their pleas fall on deaf ears.

Their next words are cut off with a choked inhale as the knife plunges into their chest.

The killer’s mouth moves but there is no sound.

“Please…”

The knife stabs them again and again and again.

Blood gurgles in their throat and they splutter and choke on it.

The killer pulls his hood back over his face and clumsily wipes the blood from his knife onto Ordisha’s dress before sheathing it on his belt. He leaves then but Wonshik doesn’t watch to see if he looks back at what he’s done. Instead his eyes are fixed on Ordisha’s face – because it’s her now, in these final moments – and he sees the tears leak from her eyes. She drags a hand up to rest on her stomach and Wonshik’s heart clenches as she tries one last time to call for help. The only sound that leaves her lips is a strangled gasp.

Her chest rises and falls and then doesn’t rise again.

Wonshik scrubs at the tears running from his eyes and when his vision clears there’s only Jung left, his skin ashen and his chest still. Wonshik immediately reaches out towards him, instinctively thinking the worst, but Cha puts a hand on his shoulder and holds him back.

“Give him a minute.” He says. “He knows his way back.”

Jung’s lips are turning blue by the time he gasps and sits up.

“Am I dead?” He asks, looking around with wild, blue eyes. “Did he kill me?”

Wonshik sees Cha frown and Sanghyuk throw their leader an uncertain glance.

“He- I’m-.” Jung’s face falls and he starts to cry. He hugs his stomach, “I’m dead. My baby, my poor baby.”

Sanghyuk crouches down in front of Jung and tips his face up so that their eyes meet, “Valia?”

“Who are you?” Jung asks.

“My name is Han Sanghyuk, I’m an officer in the specialist security division.” He pauses for the briefest of moments before adding, “I’m here to help you.”

“Help?” He repeats and he looks confused.

“Yes, you were attacked.” Sanghyuk says. “Do you remember?”

“I was going to meet- he wanted to talk.”

“Who?” Sanghyuk asks. “Who wanted to talk, Valia?”

“I don’t remember.” Fresh tears stream down his face. “I’m so tired.”

“That’s okay.” Sanghyuk murmurs. “That’s okay, you can go to sleep if you want to.”

“Will I wake up?” Jung’s eyes are unfocused and his whole body sags but Wonshik can still see hear the fear in his voice.

“No, not properly.” Sanghyuk answers honestly. “But you’ll be okay.”

“I’m so tired.” He says again. “Tell him- tell him I…”

Then he lets out a long sigh and falls forwards against Sanghyuk’s chest.

“Is he-?” Hongbin asks.

“He’s out cold.” Sanghyuk confirms.

“I’m guessing that wasn’t normal.” Wonshik says.

“Sometimes, the spirit isn’t ready to let go.” Cha tells him, joining Sanghyuk on the floor and brushing his hand over the back of Jung’s head. “They hold on tight and try to keep on living even after they’ve died.”

It doesn’t make sense to Wonshik but not much of what the SSD do or say does. He supposes it’s the aftereffects of all the genetic modifications they go under to become SSD officers: they are faster, stronger and smarter than other humans and each have strange gifts, there has to be a price.

“What next?” Sanghyuk asks.

“We go back to base.” Cha says. “We’ve seen this guy’s face, we can look through the system and-.”

“Or we could go straight to his quarters.” Wonshik interrupts. “Hongbin and I- we know who he is.”

“You do?” Cha asks as Jung lets out a low moan and pushes himself upright.

“Grigorek Umbada.” Hongbin confirms. “We picked him up at least once every week cycle before we were transferred to homicide, mostly theft but it was obvious he was on a bad path.”

“We’ve questioned him a few times in the last couple of years on other cases.” Wonshik adds. “He’s an addict, I’m not surprised it’s made him desperate.”

“Gun for hire?” Cha asks.

“Maybe.” Wonshik shrugs.

“Then let’s go- if we move quickly we might be able to catch him off-guard.”

They leave instructions with the GSD team at the scene before climbing into the transport Cha’s team had arrived in, ignoring the questions being shouted at them by the razzi lined up behind the security cordon a few metres away. Wonshik finds himself squashed into the backseat between Sanghyuk and Jung, the latter of which is back to his usual stoic self despite the mess of dirt and blood on his otherwise pristine uniform, while Hongbin sits in the front with Cha and gives directions.

Sanghyuk pulls up Umbada’s information on his holo and Wonshik and Hongbin tell them what they know about him as they traverse the busy transport system between different sectors. Cha asks a few questions and Sanghyuk chimes in a couple of times with comments but Jung doesn’t speak. Wonshik finds himself torn between wanting to make sure he’s okay and shaking him until he talks and acts like a normal human being. Instead he settles on ignoring him.

They leave the transport by the entrance to level three of sector 28 and continue on foot.

Sector 28 is mostly a residential area and, like other sectors on the southern side of Eden, it is not somewhere Wonshik wants to spend a lot of his time. Sectors 26 to 29 have reputations for being rife with crime and violence and sector 28 is particularly bad. So much so, it has its own GSD squad based there. It had been where Wonshik and Hongbin had been stationed on their first rotation outside of the academy and Wonshik is glad that it’s no longer his responsibility given they see someone getting mugged mere minutes after setting foot in the sector.

“Leave it.” Cha says when Hongbin goes to help the unfortunate Qe’tek. “We need to move quickly, we’re already attracting attention.”

It’s true.

Wonshik sees the eyes trained on them, hears the whispers that follow them, and he remembers just how quickly word spreads in this sector. He imagines that the news of three SSD officers and two out of sector homicide GSD VX will reach the other side of the sector in minutes given how rare it is to see the SSD in the outer sectors.

Wonshik and Hongbin lead the way, shoulders squared and strides long, and Cha and his team follow closely behind. The path to Umbada’s quarters are twisting but they remember the way well enough to not take any wrong turns. They draw their blasters from their holsters as they get close and the SSD team follow suit.

“Is this it?” Cha asks.

Wonshik nods and goes to pull his access card from his trouser pocket but Cha shakes his head and then motions to his left hand.

Wonshik holds back a snort.

It figures that the SSD are given an override pass to all the different sectors as part of their ID chip implant.

“The three of us will go in.” Cha tells them, his voice quiet. “Wonshik, Hongbin, I want you covering the entrance- I don’t want anyone coming in or out.”

Wonshik eyes the small crowd of onlookers they’ve attracted as Hongbin mutters, “understood.”

Cha counts them down and then, with a quick swipe of his palm across the security interface, they explode into movement.

Cha, Jung and Sanghyuk sprint into the apartment and Wonshik aims his blaster at the four Reth who advance on them now that the SSD officers are occupied.

“Don’t take another step.” Wonshik warns.

“Suspect contained.” Cha’s voice confirms after a minute.

“Quarters clear.” Sanghyuk calls.

Jung appears at Wonshik and Hongbin’s backs and his soft voice makes the both of them jump, “call it in to GSD command. He’s dead.”

“Umbada’s dead?” The biggest of the Reth asks and he takes a couple of steps towards them, his tusked mouth pulled back into a snarl. “Impossible- I saw him not fifteen minutes ago! You SSD scum murdered him.”

This has the rest of the Reth snarling and spitting insults at them and Wonshik sees a couple of them reach for their blasters. He readies himself to fire, his heart pounding in his chest, and out of the corner of his eye he sees Hongbin do the same.

“I’m-.”

Then there’s quickfire blaster shots and the Reth are howling in pain and cradling their hands, their own blasters on the floor at their feet.

“VX Kim told you not to come any closer.” Jung says, lowering his blaster. “Now I suggest you leave unless you have any information relevant to our investigation.”

The Reth begrudgingly pick up their blasters and begin to disperse.

“Not you.” Jung points his weapon at the largest of the Reth and walks towards him to ensure he doesn’t think about running. “We have questions for you.”

“You think you can stop me, human?” The Reth asks, pulling himself to his full height and towering over Jung.

Wonshik raises his blaster. The Reth are notoriously ill-tempered and he has seen them kill with one swing of their wickedly clawed fists. Despite how much he dislikes Jung, he doesn’t really want to see him dead. Or, at least, not the kind of dead that’s permanent.

“Stand down.” Jung sounds less than impressed. “Or I will shoot you.”

They glare at each other for a long moment and then, surprisingly, the Reth relents and holsters his blaster.

Wonshik and Hongbin share a look before Hongbin presses his hand to the communicator in his ear, “This is VX 930929 of sectors 15 to 17 requesting immediate assistance on level 3, corridor K1. Medics are not required.”

“Yet.” Jung says, giving the Reth a pointed look.

“Taekwoon.” Cha appears at the doorway. “Are you threatening people again?”

“No.” Jung says and- is that a pout?

Wonshik can’t help himself. He laughs.

“Please, don’t encourage him.” Cha says but he looks amused, too, before he schools his expression into something more serious. “Taekwoon, I want you and Wonshik in here while Sanghyuk interviews the Reth. Hongbin, call Jaehwan and tell him we have another body for him and then update the GSD on the situation once they arrive. I don’t want to waste any time.”

Wonshik is surprised that he’s been chosen for watching the projection over Sanghyuk but he doesn’t complain. He and Hongbin share another look as Wonshik enters the apartment, shrugging at Hongbin’s silent question. He’s just as confused as he is.

Umbada is on his sofa, his head tilted back to reveal the splatter of blue-black blood on the pale skin of his neck, and the robe he had worn during Valia Ordisha’s murder is crumpled at his feet. His eyes are bulging from his head, his mouth is twisted into a grimace with blood dripping from his lips.

“He’s still warm.” Jung says when he runs a hand over Umbada’s cheek. “Did he take a poison?”

“There’s a vial in his right hand.” Cha’s face is sympathetic. “It looks like keliom.”

Wonshik grimaces because keliom is a particularly nasty poison, making the victim feel like they are being burned alive from the inside out.

Jung sighs, “at least it’s quick.”

“I’ll only make you do this once.” Cha promises.

Jung shoots him a glare before standing and, as at the Ordisha murder scene, his eyes flash blue as finds where to start from. He settles for somewhere near the door and Wonshik takes a deep breath as his vision turns blue once more.

Umbada stands where Jung was and he laughs as he spots a masked figure in the corner of the room.

“Don’t play around, hiding in the shadows like that.” He says. “I’ve done what you asked. Where are my credits?”

Umbada takes a few steps back and holds his hands up in surrender as the masked figure walks towards him, blaster aimed at his head.

“Hey, hold up- what are you doing?” He asks and there is fear in his voice. Wonshik doesn’t feel any pity for him. “We had a deal!”

The masked figure, humanoid in shape but taller and broader than Wonshik would expect for an actual human, advances further and he must say something because Umbada nearly chokes on his spit.

“Look, I don’t know what kind of kinky shit you’re into but-.” He ducks and the blaster shot narrowly misses his head. Wonshik looks and he can see the scorch mark on the wall. He wonders if they’ll be able to work out the model from the blast pattern. “Okay, the robe’s coming off. Is this what you wanted? I’m not taking off my pants, no matter how much you pay me.”

Umbada collapses back onto the sofa and Wonshik thinks Jung must have some control left because he lands next to the real Umbada’s corpse rather than on it.

He takes the vial the masked figure gives him, “what is this? Really? It’ll make me feel good? Why didn’t you just say instead of scaring me like that? Not cool, man.”

He unscrews the lid and takes a cautious sniff, “better than lamiel? How long will the high last?”

“Idiot.” Wonshik mutters but he had known that for years.

“You’re going to give me my credits, too, right?” Umbada asks.

He must receive a satisfactory answer because he downs the vial in one go.

“How long until-.” He cuts himself with a groan. “What the fuck?”

He claws at his chest and he chokes back a scream, his body twisting and his feet kicking uselessly at the floor, as the masked figure stands and watches.

He continues to struggle for another minute and then he stills, dead.

Wonshik blinks a few times to bring himself out of the projection, “that raises more questions than answers.”

But Cha isn’t listening.

He marches to the door and calls for Sanghyuk before crouching on the floor in front of Jung and it’s then Wonshik sees the blood.

“What the-?” He trails off.

“I think he’s bitten his tongue.” Cha leans Jung forward so the blood in his mouth falls down his chin instead of down his throat. He’s not come round yet so he’s not breathing and Wonshik thinks, in this instance at least, that this is a good thing. “Just like Umbada did.”

Sanghyuk doesn’t ask any questions when he arrives and instead takes Cha’s place, examining Jung’s mouth and tutting.

“He’s just about bit his tongue in two.” He says but he doesn’t sound worried.

He cups Jung’s face in his hands and his eyes burn silver and Wonshik doesn’t really understand what’s happening until the blood stops flowing and Jung begins to stir.

“Idiot.” Sanghyuk chides him, slapping him lightly on the back of the head as Jung blinks awake. “You let him get carried away.”

Wonshik throws Cha a look, “the kid heals? No wonder you want to keep him around.”

“It’s more for his charming personality.” Cha responds, smiling. “But the healing is definitely a bonus.”

“Charming?” Jung repeats, the word sloppy.

“I keep them from getting into too much trouble.” Sanghyuk shoots Wonshik a cheeky smile. “And I make Taekwoon’s life hell- why wouldn’t Hakyeon want to keep me around?”

Jung needs another couple of minutes before he’s fully back to himself and in that time Wonshik and Sanghyuk return to the corridor outside Umbada’s quarters to keep an eye on the Reth and wait for their GSD back up to arrive.

“What happened?” Hongbin asks.

“Umbada was forced to take a poison.” Wonshik murmurs low enough so that the Reth can’t overhear. “There’s something bigger going on here.”

“What are you thinking?” Hongbin matches his tone.

“I don’t know.” Wonshik frowns. “I just know it’s not good.”

Jung steps out of Umbada’s quarters and his expression is as blank as ever despite the blood drying on his chin and his uniform.

“Kim.” He says. “You’re with me.”

Wonshik blinks in surprise but he doesn’t have time to ask questions because Jung is suddenly striding away and Wonshik has to jog to catch up. They pass the GSD squad on the way to the murder scene a couple of corridors away and Wonshik sees the curious glances they throw at Jung and he feels something in his chest twinge when Jung doesn’t even spare them a look.

“Where are we going?” Wonshik asks once they reach the transport.

“Base.” Jung answers. “I need to report to command.”

Wonshik sits in the passenger seat and works on buckling himself in as Jung fires up the engine, “can’t you just call it in?”

“I, ah-.” Jung’s voice falters. “I need to tell Ambassador Ordisha about her daughter, too.”

Wonshik nods but, on the inside, he doubts Cha’s decision to send Jung to do this. He is too cold for something so emotionally charged and so awkward with his words. He wonders how he’s going to manage.

“Sanghyuk would have been a better choice.” Jung murmurs, as if he can hear Wonshik’s thoughts. “But Ambassador Ordisha knows what I can do. She’ll want to make use of my gift.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not just- I don’t just see their last moments.” He explains. “I channel their spirits. They show me what happened to them so that I can help them move on to their next life.”

Wonshik snorts, “you’ve got to be kidding me. I thought that next life crap was all fanatical Paschdra nonsense.”

“Humans have always been sceptical.” Jung says with a small shrug. “But that’s only because we’ve never been good at believing in the grey. We’ve always been too preoccupied with the black and white.”

“That’s not always a bad thing.”

“No.” Jung agrees. “Not always.”

They don’t speak for the rest of their long journey to the Core. Wonshik has questions but he doesn’t think Jung would appreciate any more talk- his shoulders are already tense and his lips are pulled into a thin line. He wonders if it’s because of what’s already happened or if he’s worried about what’s yet to come.

Wonshik wonders why he cares.

It is a nearly two hours later that they reach their destination. The Core gleams its usual brilliant silver and white and Wonshik feels a soft pang in his chest. He frowns. For a place that he’d come to hate, he thinks it’s strange he’s capable of feeling any kind of nostalgia for it. Still, he takes in the familiar buildings and monuments with wide eyes and scours the swarms of people for familiar faces, certain that he’ll recognise someone even after all these years.

“Is this your first time to the Core?” Jung asks.

“No.” Wonshik answers. He doesn’t plan on telling Jung the truth but the words slip past his lips anyway. “I grew up here.”

Wonshik sees the look Jung throws him out of the corner of the eye and he snorts.

“What?” He asks, his tone biting. “You didn’t expect a regular GSD VX to grow up in the Core?”

Jung surprises him by letting out a breathy laugh, “it’s not that- it just explains a couple of things.”

“Like?”

“The way that you carry yourself and… And why white suits you so much.” Jung says and then his cheeks immediately flush red.

Wonshik doesn’t know how to take that so he doesn’t say anything in response.

Jung parks the transport in the underground complex beneath the SSD command. They head towards the elevator and Wonshik presses the call button.

“I need to shower and change.” Jung says while they wait, gesturing at his blood-stained uniform.

Wonshik shrugs, “I can wait.”  

The living quarters are on the upper levels of the building. Wonshik expects to be taken to some kind of common room to wait for Jung while he cleans up but Jung instead leads him down a dull, grey corridor and into a tiny room. There’s a bed and a desk and a closet but not very much else. Wonshik is surprised. He had always thought the SSD lived lives of luxury.

Wonshik sits at the desk and flicks through his holo while he waits for Jung to shower in the communal refresher down the hall. He looks through the database for information on Ambassador Orshida and her daughter and wonders if there’s any political motive for the murder. The election campaign for the new mayor of Eden is in full swing, the election only being one month cycle away, and Wonshik doesn’t doubt that tensions are running high within the House. He cannot find anything to suggest that Ambassador Ordisha has backed a candidate or fallen in with one of the border parties but he knows that doesn’t mean anything. If that kind of information was available to the security division, he doubts it would be available for just any GSD VX to find. The SSD are called in for cases like these for a reason.

It rankles him, though, as it always does, that the SSD have access to resources that he does not. It makes him angry to think about the number of investigations he’s had to put on hold while waiting for clearance on files which have been vital for solving his cases. He doubts Jung has ever had to wait for information. He snorts. He doubts Jung has ever had to wait for anything. The SSD have more resources at their fingertips than Wonshik could ever dream to have.

Jung reappears then, looking clean and immaculately dressed once more. He quirks an eyebrow at the sour expression on Wonshik’s face, “what?”

Wonshik lets out a quiet huff and makes a show of sliding his holo into the front pocket of his uniform.

“There’s not much information on either Valia Ordisha or her mother on the system.” Wonshik says. “Or at least not what I can access.”

“What were you expecting to find?” Jung asks. “The database only holds factual information- anything else is held by Intelligence. Hakyeon has already requested the files on Valia and the ambassador. I’ll send it through to your holo once it comes through.”

Wonshik opens his mouth to answer and then closes it abruptly.

He hadn’t expected that.

“Are you ready to go?” Jung asks.

Wonshik nods and stands, “sure.”

The House is not far from SSD command so they walk.

“How long did you live here?” Jung asks after they’ve been walking for a couple of minutes.

“I didn’t realise you were capable of small talk.” Wonshik snaps at him, still a little bit thrown from their earlier conversation.

Jung frowns and fixes his gaze on the path ahead, “forget I asked.”

The House is as busy as Wonshik remembers it being. He had walked passed it a thousand times while growing up but had never actually been inside until now. He follows closely behind Jung, trying hard not to gawp, and he is surprised when Jung leads them over to one of the security lines- he had expected for Jung to swipe his palm and for them to be allowed straight up to see the ambassador.

“Officer Jung.” The Huilik security guard nods her head in greeting when they reach the front of the queue. “Here to see Councillor Wehtu?”

Jung shakes his head and he holds his left palm up for her to scan, “not today.”

The Huilik clicks her tongue and her chest rumbles but she doesn’t otherwise respond.

“VX Kim is working with me as part of my investigation.” Jung explains after he has handed over his blaster and stepped through the full body scanner and it is Wonshik’s turn to do the same. “He won’t have House access.”

“Hmm.” The Huilik drags her gaze up and down Wonshik’s body, her eight eyes narrowed with distrust, and he does his best to stand tall under her scrutiny. “You will have to sign him in.”

Jung does just that and soon they are on their way. Wonshik feels naked without his blaster on his hip but he knows the rules are this way for a reason: emotions run high within the House and it is a dangerous enough place without throwing weapons into the mix. Still, he thinks he would feel better with his blaster.

They take the elevator to the eighth floor and Jung leads them down a busy corridor, side stepping arguing diplomats and sour faced officials of a dozen different races, and Wonshik ignores the way they stare and break out into whispers as they pass. It is obvious that many of them know who Jung is but no one calls out to him in greeting.

The Ashwarian suite is at the end of the corridor. It is a large, open space decorated in soft silvers and blushing pinks and there are a large number of sweet-smelling plants that Wonshik knows are native to the Ashwari homeworld. It is serene place, quiet and composed compared to the rest of the House, and Wonshik feels guilty knowing that the news they are about to deliver will bring this peace to an end.

It doesn’t take long for them to be shown into Ambassador Ordisha’s office.

Ambassador Ordisha’s skin is a deeper shade of blue than her daughter’s and her face is lined with wrinkles but she is no less beautiful. She stands to greet them and they both bow deeply before taking the seats she motions to in front of her desk once she has sat down once more.

“It’s been a while, Officer Jung.” She says. She looks tense, as if she’s already guessed why they’re here.  

Jung licks his bottom lip and nods his head, “it has.”

There’s a moment of quiet and Wonshik can hear his heart thudding in his chest. His palms are sweaty and he has to resist the urge to wipe his hands on his trousers. He hates this. He hates telling someone that their loved one has died. It never gets easier, no matter how many times he does it. He’s just glad that this time he isn’t the one who will speak the words that will shatter another heart.

“We’re here about Valia.” Jung says, his words slow and soft. “I’m sorry, Ambassador… She was found dead this morning.”

“No.” The ambassador shakes her head. “No, I spoke to her last night. We have plans to meet for the evening meal today- she can’t be…”

“I’m sorry.” Jung says.

There is a long silence then as Ambassador Ordisha tries to take in the news.

“How?” She asks at last. “Was she..?”

“She was murdered.” Jung confirms. “Her body was found in sector 17’s delta quadrant early this morning. VX Kim’s team were the first on the scene.”

“Have- did you _see_ what happened?” Ambassador Ordisha asks and Wonshik can see the tears in her eyes, how her hands are shaking. “Did she… Did she suffer?”

“We saw.” Wonshik tells her. “It was quick.”

“I want to speak to her.”

“It… She may have already crossed over.” Jung tells her. “She was confused and in a lot of pain, she may-.”

“Try.”

Jung nods and closes his eyes, his brow furrowed in concentration, and Wonshik tries not to stare. Seconds and then minutes slip by and sweat beads on Jung’s upper lip and his skin, already pale, begins to turn a sickly shade of grey. Wonshik knows he shouldn’t worry but he can’t help the way his stomach twists, especially not when Jung’s lips begin to turn blue. Just when had Jung stopped breathing?

He reaches out to rouse him, deciding that this – whatever _this_ is – has gone on long enough, when the tension suddenly leaks from Jung’s body and he blinks his eyes open. They are the now familiar electric blue.

“Valia?”

“Mother.” Jung’s voice cracks as he speaks and tears pool in his eyes. “Mother, I-.”

The ambassador moves quickly from behind her desk and drops down onto her knees at Jung’s feet. She cradles his face in her hands and wipes away his tears as her own stream down her cheeks.

“Mother’s here.” She says. “Mother’s here, my beautiful daughter. What happened to you? Please tell me what happened.”

“I’m tired.” Jung leans into her touch, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

“I know you are, I know, but I need you to tell me what happened, Valia. I need to know who has stolen you from me and make sure that they pay.”

“I don’t- I didn’t… I wanted to tell you, Mother. I was so excited and now we’re dead.”

“Tell me what? Valia, what did you want to tell me?”

“I am with child.” Jung’s face twists and he chokes on a sob.

“What?”

“He promised me that we could be together, that we could live together as a family- the two of us and our baby, and, oh Mother, I love him. I love him. Do you think he… Do you think he knows we are dead?”

“I don’t- who? Who is he, Valia? Why did you not tell me before?”

“His wife.” Jung murmurs. “Do you think she found out? Do you think she’s the one who had us killed?”

“Tell us his name.” Wonshik says but Jung just blinks at him.

“Valia-.”

“I’m tired.” Jung says again, his eyes moving lazily to look once more at the face in front of his own. “I want to sleep again. Please, Mother, let me sleep.”

“Yes, my daughter, yes, you can sleep if you need to. Remember I love you, okay? I will always love you with all that I have.” Ambassador Ordisha kisses at his cheeks as tears continue to pour from her eyes. “I love you, Valia. Please take this with you. I love you.”

“I will.” Jung’s voice is so soft, barely even a whisper. “I love you.”

“Sleep well, my child. I love you.”

And then, like a string being cut, Jung sags and collapses forwards into the ambassador’s arms. She holds him for a moment and Wonshik, uncertain as to what to do, does not move to help her with him until she attempts to push him back into his chair.

“He has done me a great service.” She says once Jung is slumped back in his chair and she has retaken her seat behind her desk. She isn’t crying anymore but her voice is still thick. “He has given me the chance to say goodbye. I will be forever grateful to him for that.”

“You won’t try to speak to Valia again?” Wonshik asks, surprised.

The ambassador shakes her head, “she is tired. I will not be selfish and disturb her sleep again, no matter how much I want to. I hope that she will pass on now we have had the chance to speak.”

Wonshik nods and he looks down at his hands so he doesn’t have to see the pain in her eyes.

“Did you know that Valia had taken a lover?” He asks after a few seconds have passed.

“No… Though, I did have my suspicions.”

Wonshik raises an eyebrow, “how so?”

“Valia has always hated the Core and the House especially- she ran away to sector 4 as soon as she was old enough. She said that life was more laidback there, the people kinder.” The ambassador pauses to clear her throat and Wonshik gives her what he hopes is an encouraging smile. “Have you ever been to sector 4?”

Wonshik shakes his head. His family had rarely left the Core while he was growing up but when they had it had been to visit his grandparents in sector 7. It hadn’t been until he had joined the academy that he had gotten to see more of Eden and her inhabitants.

“There’s a specialist arts university there, a lot of galleries and music halls. I never understood the appeal but Valia… It suited her. After she moved there, we could go weeks and months without seeing each other. We would still holocall each other nearly every day but it wasn’t quite the same… Then a few month cycles ago Valia visited me here at the House. I was surprised. She had never come to visit me before without me first having to beg- I was usually the one who travelled to see her. I thought that perhaps she had missed me and had come to see me on a whim, that she wouldn’t do it again, but then she began to visit with me two or three times a week after that. It was odd, I knew it was, but I did not question her about it. I knew she would tell me when she was ready to. And now….”

Wonshik looks over at Jung as he lets out a soft groan, finally beginning to come to. He looks pale and tired but his lips are no longer blue so Wonshik guesses that that means he’s okay.

“Did you notice anything else?” Wonshik asks. “Anything unusual?”

The ambassador shakes her head, “no… She seemed happy, happier than I’d ever known her to be.”

They talk for a little while longer. Wonshik is the one to take the lead and ask the ambassador questions about her daughter while Jung continues to find his bearings. They do not discover anything more that is of any great use to their investigation but they have enough for now.

“Thank you.” Ambassador Ordisha says when they take their leave. There are tears in her eyes once more and she looks old, fragile, in a way that she hadn’t when they had arrived. “I know that you will do everything you can to bring my daughter justice.”

“We will.” Wonshik and Jung reply at the same time. 

“Where to next?” Wonshik asks once they are back in the elevator to the ground floor.

“We need to go see the Captain, explain to him what’s happened.” Jung answers. “The razzi are going to have a field day with this case.”

“Bloodsuckers.” Wonshik mutters and this earns him a breathy snort of amusement from Jung. “What?”

“Nothing.” Jung says, his still too pale face now expressionless once more.

 The elevator stops on the second floor and a ruby haired Paschdra enters. He is tall, as all Paschdra are, towering over the two of them, and the silver of his robes mark him out as a member of Eden’s council.

“Councillor Wehtu.” Jung bows his head.

“Taekwoon.” Wehtu’s pink skin darkens with what Wonshik guesses is pleasure. “I did not know that you were visiting today.”

“Official business.” Jung responds, his shoulders tense and his eyes still on the floor.

Wehtu puts a hand on Jung’s arm, “that is a shame. Still, perhaps you have enough time to visit with me in my office?”

“I-.”

“We’re in the middle of an investigation, I’m afraid.” Wonshik interrupts, something in his chest twisting at Jung’s obvious discomfort. “We don’t really have any time to spare.”

“After then?” Wehtu asks.

Jung nods, “after.”

They reach the ground floor then and Jung is quick to put distance between himself and Wehtu and Wonshik almost has to jog to keep up.

“You don’t like him.” Wonshik says as they wait in line at security to get their blasters back. “He makes you uncomfortable.”

“So?” Jung asks, shooting him a glare.

“Why did you agree to meet with him?”

“He’s a councillor.” Jung says, as if that explains everything.

“And?”

“His husband died, he wants to make use of my gift.” Jung pauses for a second before admitting, “and the Captain told me to keep him happy.”

It’s not an acceptable answer, not in Wonshik’s book, but it isn’t his place to get involved. He’s already said too much if Jung’s frown is anything to go by.

They don’t talk on the walk back to SSD command and the debrief that Jung delivers to the Captain, a hard faced Ilynian, is short but thorough.

“What are you thinking?” The Captain asks.

“She was having an affair with a politician.” Jung responds. “Either his wife found out and decided to put an end to it or he had a lot to lose by news of the affair getting out and chose to silence her himself.”

“She had quarters in sector 4, we should go there next to see if we can find any trace of her mystery lover.” Wonshik says.

The Captain scoffs at Wonshik and asks Jung, “tell me how you’ve ended up paired with a GSD VX?”

“VX Kim and his partner were the first homicide GSD on the scene at the murder site. They have provided us with valuable assistance during the investigation so far.” Jung explains. “Hak- Officer Cha has seen that they have an important role to play… It makes sense that they should continue to be involved.”

“I see.” The Captain turns his gaze to Wonshik and Wonshik stares straight back at him. There’s something about the Captain that he doesn’t like. “See that you don’t screw this up, kid.”

Wonshik lets out a little huff, “this isn’t my first murder investigation.”

“You’ll have never seen one like this before.” The Captain tells him. “Politics is a dangerous business at the best of times but with an election coming up…”

“I’m sure I’ll manage just fine.” Wonshik says.

It’s almost evening by the time they’re done with the Captain and both their stomachs are rumbling from not having eaten all day. There’s a canteen on the ground floor of the SSD command and Jung takes Wonshik there so that they can pick up some food before retreating back to his room so that they can check in with Cha and the others.

Wonshik finds it hard to ignore all the stares he gets as they wait in line to fill their trays, his skin beginning to crawl, so he’s thankful when Jung decides to make another attempt at small talk.

“Have you been keeping up with the election?”

“A little, the buzz hasn’t quite picked up in my sector yet.” Wonshik shrugs.

“Lucky.” Jung gives him a rueful smile. “It’s all anyone has been talking about here for months.”

Wonshik picks up a container of what looks to be some kind of rice dish and puts it on his tray, “yeah I remember what it’s like. I’m glad I don’t have to deal with it anymore.”

There’s a lapse in conversation then as they each add to their tray.

“Do you know who you’re going to vote for yet?” Wonshik asks.

Jung gives him a strange look, “Pr’ytep Caylib is the favourite, has been for months, but Pollitt Hurvana’s campaign has been picking up speed recently.”

“Hurvana?” Wonshik is certain that he recognises the name. “What party is she from?”

“Centrist.”

“Then she has a chance.” Wonshik says. Only candidates from the main four parties ever get elected even if there are a dozen or more parties for voters to choose from. “I wouldn’t have taken you as a centrist.”

“I’m not.” Jung says. “The SSD aren’t allowed to vote- we do too much work with the House.”

“Oh.” Wonshik says. “I hadn’t realised that.”

Jung opens his mouth to speak but he closes it abruptly, the small amount of colour in his cheeks rapidly fading. The grip on his tray slackens and Wonshik thinks he would have dropped it if he had not taken it from him.

“Are you okay?”

Jung blinks and nods, “yeah, I just need to eat. Channelling Valia like that took a lot of energy.”

“I still don’t understand how any of what you do works.”

Jung puts the last two pots of chocolate pudding on their trays and gives him a coy smile, “do you really want to know? It’s all just fanatical Paschdra nonsense, after all.”

Wonshik flushes, “did I say that?”

“You might have.”

“Am I allowed to take it back?”

“I’ll think about it and let you know.” Jung says and Wonshik laughs.

Wonshik carries both trays back up to Jung’s room because he does not trust the SSD officer’s shaking hands to hold anything. Jung rolls his eyes at him but doesn’t try to argue. They sit cross-legged on Jung’s bed to eat and Wonshik is pleased to see the colour return to Jung’s cheeks as he eats, how the grip on his utensils gets stronger.

“How does it work?” Wonshik asks around a mouthful of food after a few minutes of eating in silence. “You know, your gift.”

“It’s hard to explain.” Jung shrugs.

“Try me.” Wonshik says.

Jung purses his lips, “I guess I should start by saying that life doesn’t end with death- all beings have a part of them that keeps on living after the physical body has died.”

“The spirit.” Wonshik nods.

“That’s the easiest way to describe it.” Jung agrees. “I can’t see spirits or talk to them or anything like that but I can let them use my body to speak to their loved ones for the last time before they pass over or show their final moments to people who are going to make sure that they get justice. The projections are the easiest, spirits are usually eager to show off what’s happened to them- especially if their deaths were unexpected. I don’t usually have to do much for them to take over, just invite them in.”

“And then you live their deaths.” Wonshik says, frowning. “Is it… Is it painful?”

“Yes.” Jung says.

“And you do it anyway?”

“All gifts come with a price.” Jung tells him with another shrug. “Hakyeon gets migraines so bad that sometimes he can’t get out of bed for days and Sanghyuk can feel the pain of the person who he is healing. It takes a lot of his energy, too, and we have to be careful that he doesn’t push himself too far. It’s just how it is.”

“I don’t think I want to understand.” Wonshik says.

“You’re GSD, you don’t need to understand.”

Wonshik snorts, a spike of anger flaring in his chest, “just call Cha, will you? The sooner our part of the investigation is over, the sooner we can go our separate ways again.”

Jung opens his mouth as if to argue but decides better of it and pulls his holo from the front pocket of his uniform. He lays the holo flat on his palm and presses a couple of buttons and it isn’t long before Cha’s disembodied head appears.

“Taekwoon.” Cha greets. “Do you have VX Kim with you?”

“Yes.” Jung nods. “We’ve reported to the Captain and told Ambassador Ordisha the news.”

“Learn anything new?”

“We think she was having an affair with a married politician.” Wonshik answers. “She had been spending an unusual amount of time at the House. We’re going to check out her quarters in sector 4 next, see if we can find anything there that might help us identify the lover.”

“Good.” Cha says. “We’ve been working through Umbada’s contacts, seeing if we can get a lead on who might have hired him. No luck so far.”

“Did you send the blast pattern from Umbada’s wall off for analysis?” Wonshik asks.

“We’re still waiting for the results. Sectors 20 to 23 have declared a major incident so it might be a while before we get anything back.” Cha says.

“Do you know what’s happened?” Jung asks.

 “Gas leak, sounds like there’s been multiple casualties.” Cha looks at something offscreen, his face pulled into a frown. “I have to go- is there anything else to report?”

Jung shakes his head, “we’ll check in again after we’ve searched Ordisha’s quarters.”

“Okay, be safe.”

“You, too.” Jung responds and then Cha is gone.

They finish the rest of their food quickly and then return to the basement to pick up their transport. The journey to sector 4 is a slow one as they get caught in the worst of the evening traffic and neither of them do anything to break the silence between them. There’s tension there again and it makes Wonshik feel jumpy and on edge. He thinks of Hongbin and wonders how he is doing with Cha and Sanghyuk, if he is having an easier time of things. He supresses a sigh. Probably. Hongbin has always had better luck than Wonshik.

Valia Ordisha’s quarters are above an upscale boutique just off the central square of sector 4. They are huge – five or six times the size of Wonshik’s own quarters – and lavishly decorated in silks and bold colours. The walls are covered in art that Wonshik supposes is beautiful even if he has no idea what the artist is trying to depict.

“Nice place.” Wonshik says as he tries to take it all in.

Jung narrows his eyes, “a few too many drapes for my taste.”

Wonshik snorts.

Jung searches the kitchen while Wonshik looks through the living area for anything that might be useful. There are a lot of books – actual physical paper books – piled onto shelves and spilling out onto any other flat surface that Ordisha had decided was stable enough to hold them. Wonshik flicks through a number of them, desperately trying not to think just how many credits each one costs, to see if he can find any scraps of paper or anything else that might give them a clue as to who Ordisha’s lover had been.

“Have you found anything?” Jung asks a little while later, his quiet voice breaking through the silence and making Wonshik jump. He tries to hide a smile at Wonshik’s reaction, “sorry, did I scare you?”

“No.” Wonshik grumbles. “And no, I haven’t found anything.”

“Okay, I’ll go look in the bedroom.”

Wonshik shakes his head at him as he goes, not quite able to believe he’d been stuck with someone as insufferable as Jung.

There’s more silence and Wonshik sinks down onto one of the couches so that he can better search through the stack of books on the coffee table in front of it. He lifts a couple of them and is surprised when a single sheet of paper comes loose and floats towards the floor. He puts the books down again and picks up the paper, his heart picking up speed. It’s a note. He reads it quickly, pushing himself to his feet, and he opens his mouth to call for Jung.

He doesn’t get chance to. The sound of a blaster echoes through the Ordisha’s quarters and Wonshik’s eyes widen in shock. He stuffs the paper into his pocket and unholsters his blaster as more shots are fired. They’re coming from the bedroom.

_Jung._

Wonshik races towards the bedroom only to be bowled to the floor by a figure sprinting in his direction. They hit the floor hard as blaster shots whistle overhead and Wonshik, on instinct, immediately wrestles his attacker onto his back only to realise it’s Jung.

“We need to go.” Jung tells him, lifting his blaster and firing a shot over Wonshik’s shoulder.

Wonshik nods and they scramble to their feet, a mess of limbs, Jung firing shots at the robed figures attempting to leave the bedroom. Wonshik starts towards the exit but there are more robed figures there, blocking the way out.

Jung pushes him back towards the living area instead, “this way.”

They duck more shots and fire more of their own. Wonshik sees a couple of the robed figures fall, sees the white of their uniform when their robes become displaced, and horror wells up in his chest like a scream.

Jung shoots out one of the windows and shoves Wonshik forwards, “jump.”

It’s a big drop but their transport isn’t too far away and he hopes that will be a softer landing.

“Go!” Jung shouts so Wonshik jumps.

 He lands on the transport and he feels and hears the metal buckle under his weight. It’s a hard landing and he’s sure he’s going to have more than a few bruises but there’s no time to think about that while he’s still being shot at.

He rolls off the transport and onto the floor, immediately looking for Jung, and he spots him just as he’s about to jump. Wonshik lays covering fire as Jung makes his descent and Jung rolls forwards as he hits the floor and he springs back onto his feet once more, eyes searching for Wonshik.

“Kim!” Jung shouts and he nods his head in the direction of one of the smaller side streets and Wonshik takes off at a sprint, Jung only a little ways behind.

They run and run, doubling back on themselves at some points only to head in a different direction a second later, and they don’t stop until what Wonshik thinks is hours later. He doubts it truly will be, he is just exhausted- he is more of a sprinter than a distance runner.

“In here.” Jung swipes his left palm over the security interface of the building they’d stopped at and they enter quickly, shutting the door behind themselves.

It’s pitch black inside and silent and Wonshik doesn’t realise that Jung’s let them into a clothes shop until Jung tugs him further into the building and they drop down onto the floor between two large railings of clothes.

They take a couple of minutes to catch their breath, ears straining to hear any kind of sound beyond their harsh breathing but there’s nothing.

“What- did you see?” Wonshik asks, his voice a harsh whisper, as soon as he’s recovered enough to speak.

“They were SSD.” Jung murmurs. “This is… We’re in a lot of trouble.”

“Call it in.” Wonshik urges him. “The Captain-.”

Jung shakes his head, “we don’t know that he’s not involved.”

“We need back up!” Wonshik hisses. “We almost got killed!”

“There’s something going on, something much bigger than we first thought. I can’t- we’re on our own.” Jung sounds calm, calmer than Wonshik thinks he will ever feel again. “We can’t trust anyone.”

Wonshik knows Jung is right.

“What do we do?” He asks.

“We’re going to have to go off the grid.” Jung tells him.

“Okay, we ditch our comms and our holos and take clothes from here.” Wonshik says, his mind already whirring. “And then what?”

“We’re going to have to cut our ID chips out, too.” Jung says. “They can trace us using them.”

Wonshik runs a hand through his sweaty hair, “this just keeps getting better and better.”

“We need to be quick.” Jung says. “I used my chip to let us in- it won’t take them long to get here.”

They use the light from Wonshik’s holo to search the racks of clothes for things that will fit before they start to change. Wonshik pulls on a long-sleeved t-shirt and then a jacket before moving to unbutton his pants. He hears the crinkle of paper and he suddenly remembers the note he had found in Ordisha’s quarters.

“Jung.”

Jung immediately turns to him, “what?”

“I found something, back in Ordisha’s quarters- it’s a note.” Wonshik says and he passes the paper to Jung. “It’s from someone called Izahk.”

Jung’s eyes widen, “Izahk Hurvana?”

And then Wonshik realises where he’s heard the name before, “isn’t he that oil tycoon?”

“And Pollitt Hurvana’s husband.” Jung murmurs. “This is- oh, crap.”

“We’re in so much trouble.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please talk to me on tumblr [@dramaticdaeguni](http://dramaticdaeguni.tumblr.com/)


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